Possible to reanimate a dead tank?

[SemperFitz]

Hey all, firstoff, I want to say what a great forum you have here. I have spent much time here lurking and learning and looking at your beautiful setups.

Some background; I have recently found for sale a 90g AllGlass tank that was previously set up as FOWLR. It has an overflow and is predrilled. It comes with some hardware that I can use, and much that I cannot. I'm wondering what the consensus is on the deal (if the seller accepts).

Tank
Stand
Hood
Little Giant pump
Berlin Protein Skimmer
60lbs Live Rock
2-3" of crushed coral substrate
Some flourescent lights

Here is where my questions arise. The tank has been dry since August, is the live rock going to be usable? Or is it now 'deadrock' Same thing with the substrate.

There is some kind of wet/dry setup that comes with it, but I'm planning on doing as big a sump as possible inside the stand (maybe a 20long?) and putting the protein skimmer down there. As well, I'm gonna add a couple of Maxjet 1200's and 2x250W MH lights.

 

[danmhippo]

Rocks and sand are as good as dead rock and sand. I'd re-cure the rock, and use them as base rock. For the sand, washing the sand is a tedius and back breaking job. If you have alkaline loving plant in your back yard, I would suggest you ditch the sand. If you lack excercise, then wash them good.

The glass may need a acid wash to remove hardwater stain. And some simple polish or minor repairs. If you are going SPS/LPS, I'd also ditch the wet/dry.

 

[The Chefin' man]

I made a mistake when I setup my 90. I went a bought a oceanic sump which was it think 299. It has a hole drilled for a dry sump but wooopee! it is not worth the money. I would just buy a 30 gal long you can acutally stuff a 40 gal in the stand or atleast I can in mine. check out your measurements. The bigger the better the water you can hold and run and turn. If I am not mistaken you can turn 1050 gal per hr with that tank.

 

[Anonymous]

A Franken-Tank? Sure. I always reuse old sand and rock.

 

[mr_X]

go bigger than a 20 long if you can for the sump. your evaporation will happen there. i lose over 3 gallons a day with a topless system and i am in the process of going much bigger. certainly get rid of that bio wheel thing!
i haven't learned a whole lot since i have started my reef, but one thing i have learned is that a sump can never be too large, but it can be too small.
that rock and sand is more trouble than it's worth in my opinion, use it for base rock if you wish, but i'd rather use live rock and new sand. much less aggravation. :wink: